Tropic Marin Pro Reef Users: How Do You Manage Alkalinity?

[SPS2020]

Like @Corgigirl, I use TMP and dose All For Reef (DIY formula) throughout the day and my Alk stays around 10dkh. For me, that is fine as I have an all SPS tank.

 

[Trey]

For now I just plan on running my tank at 7dkh. I employ AWC, so matching the tank to the new SW just seems like the easiest and most stable way IMO.

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

Like @Corgigirl, I use TMP and dose All In One (DIY formula) throughout the day and my Alk stays around 10dkh. For me, that is fine as I have an all SPS tank.

Right. I get that the tank is more stable, but i'm wanting to know if you are matching your freshly mixed salt water to the tank water in terms of alkalinity..... I don't know if i'm am making sense, in my head I am, but sometimes I might not be explaining my self correctly...

 

[sam2110]

I run my tank at 8.6, I normally test the first mix out of a new bucket as I found it varies between 6.9 and 7.6 (hanna checker), I test a mix every now and then but each bucket is normally quite consistent with the first test.

I use red sea liquid alkalinity to buffer it. 1m for every 10 liters will take it up 1.0kh. For example the bucket I'm currently on is around 7.3 so I use 2.6ml to bring my 20 liters upto 8.6. Been doing it this way for a while now it's cheap, easy and consistent. 500ml bottle lasts ages.

 

[mikereefing]

Back when I used TMP, I would always add a certain amount of alk mix (I use the baked sodium bicarbonate recipe) and it always mixed up exactly to my tank's Alk. This took trial and error to find the exact amount to add. I don't let this sit too long in the mixing bucket after adding the bicarbonate and add everything into the tank after 30 min.

 

[Corgigirl]

Like @Corgigirl, I use TMP and dose All For Reef (DIY formula) throughout the day and my Alk stays around 10dkh. For me, that is fine as I have an all SPS tank.

I'm curious, how much All-for-Reef do you dose in a day? I have a 69gallon tank, dose 25mls a day. Alk runs between 8.5-9 most of the time, slightly lower right after a water change...

 

[Corgigirl]

Are you dosing anything into your mixing container before the water change? I am just wondering because if your tank is at 9.0 range and the pro reef salt typically mixes at 7.0 range that difference would drive your dkH down a little during the water change.....
I am really looking at all for reef for my 75g, because it would free up dosers in my cabinet and to be honest, I don't like to be mixing up all the alk calc and mag supplements.... maybe I'm just being lazy.

I have been dosing my mixing container to match my tank, been doing this for over a year of using pro reef salt.

Thanks,

Barnabie Mejia

I don't dose anything for water changes - I change 8-9 gallons at a time. Alk drops a little right after the change, but not enough to bother anything that I can tell. I might drop to 8.2 right after a change. It's a whole lot easier than trying to dose 2 part, I'm definitely lazy :). I see steady growth in all my SPS...as long as they're happy, I'm happy.

 

[mike550]

Like others. My target Alk is 8.5. When I make a fresh batch I adjust the Alk to 8.5 using soda ash. In my tank I’m dosing ESV.

 

[SPS2020]

I'm curious, how much All-for-Reef do you dose in a day? I have a 69gallon tank, dose 25mls a day. Alk runs between 8.5-9 most of the time, slightly lower right after a water change...

30ml for 115 gallon total volume. Only frags and mini-colonies at this point, so no huge uptake yet.

 

[SPS2020]

Right. I get that the tank is more stable, but i'm wanting to know if you are matching your freshly mixed salt water to the tank water in terms of alkalinity..... I don't know if i'm am making sense, in my head I am, but sometimes I might not be explaining my self correctly...

No, I am only using the TMP as it is...no additions or adjustments. I'm not doing large water changes or I might would consider getting the levels closer.

 

[FernBluffReef]

I got a box for free from BRS, pre Black Friday. Just getting to using now. In the past I’ve never really tested my new seawater before water changes using Red Sea blue bucket.

I did test this time as when I changed water a couple weeks ago the Tropic Marin took my ALK in the tank down from low 8s to this morning 7.6 even with my slightly increasing alt dosing as I’m away know tropimarin is lower ALK.

So before my water change today i tested what I have mixed and the ALK is 5.5 :-(. I did mix in advance as I also use saltwater for Phyto and copepods so do need some around but that seems extreme. I’ve now added just a tad more salt to the new mix as it was 1.025 and enough ALK supplement to raise by ~1 and the temp I had stored was 68 degrees so bringing up for this morning’s water change.

I do like the other elements are said to be closer to I’m running and AlK is easy to adjust but a I am surprised it’s so low

 

[mcarroll]

For those who use Tropic Marin Pro Reef, we know that its baseline alkalinity tends to be somewhere between 7.0-7.3. I’m making the assumption that not everyone using this salt wants to have their alkalinity at that level, despite being closer to natural seawater. There is proven growth to be gained by running a higher alkalinity.

How do you guys manage your alkalinity? Do you dose your new saltwater before performing a water change? Do you just roll with the lower levels? Did you switch salts altogether to one with high alkalinity?

Personally, as my system is SPS-dominant, I’m starting to wonder if I should just err towards stability and live with the lower levels, just dosing my DT for consumption, but not shooting for elevated levels overall. My fear is that I’m doing more harm than good by messing with the alkalinity so much. That, or potentially switching to TM Classic or HW-Marine to get a higher alk out of the box, so to speak.

All thoughts and comments welcomed!

Zombie thread.....oh well.

IME folks buy TM Pro Reef only because it has "reef" in the name, assuming it's "better for reefs". Folks are consistently surprised by the low alk and wonder if it's a defect.

BTW, I've seen alk numbers even lower for it....7 might be optimistic on average.

I honestly don't understand why "pro reef" exists other than marketing level theories about "low alk" being "better" for some reason (in spite of every great reef at the time having higher numbers). Goes with the equally flimsy theory of "burnt tips" being caused by "high alk". A bunko theory that went through the hobby years back.....thanks to the internet it still pops up from time to time. (It's really a nutrients/lighting issue, not a high alk issue.)

In contrast, Tropic Marin classic salt mix has always (since the 1970's?) been highly prized as a quality salt, it's parameters are great, and it builds excellent reef tanks. What does Pro Reef have to say about that?? Nothing.

To echo another recent thread.....Pro Reef is new school (untested, theoretical).....classic is old school (time tested, proven).